


a question of bravery

by tyrseward



Series: Merlin Fics [45]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Episode: s05e13 The Diamond of the Day, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, because it makes me angry, like the dude still dies just not included here this is for a specific scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:13:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27237859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tyrseward/pseuds/tyrseward
Summary: “I always thought you were the bravest man I ever met,” Arthur says, then begins to turn away. “Guess I was wrong.”
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin Fics [45]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1472876
Comments: 6
Kudos: 67





	a question of bravery

“I always thought you were the bravest man I ever met,” Arthur says, then begins to turn away. “Guess I was wrong.”

Merlin can’t breathe. The words knock all the air from his lungs and stab through his chest.

How dare he…?

“That’s not fair,” Merlin says, the words tumbling from his mouth before he can stop them. His voice wavers, but does not stop. “That’s not fair. I have followed you through _everything_ over the years, even when I disagreed with what you were doing.”

“Merlin…”

“And now?” His vision is blurring, his eyes stinging. He wipes at his face half-heartedly and tries to focus on the vague shape of the king before him. “Alright, maybe I’m lying about the errand. About the _contents_ of the errand. But I’m not lying about needing to go. And if you think, for one moment, that I don’t want to be by your side, _protecting you_ , instead of on this errand?

"Well, I guess you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.”

He doesn’t wait for a response. Doesn’t want to hear it, is afraid to hear it.

The door slams shut behind him, and he keeps walking.

Gwaine’s waiting for him, after all.

⁋

“You came…?”

Merlin huffs, shakes his head. He does not meet Arthur’s eyes.

Arthur’s side screams with pain, but he does his best to ignore it, to focus on the man before him, instead.

“Believe me,” Merlin says, “if you being a prat had driven me off, it would have happened years ago.”

He still won’t look at Arthur.

“Thank you.”

Merlin tenses, hands stilling where they inspect his wound.

“And I’m sorry,” Arthur continues, reaching out to grab Merlin’s arm. His side protests, but he gives it no mind. “It was unfair of me, to say what I did. I should have trusted you.”

Nothing. Merlin doesn’t even seem to be _breathing_.

“Merlin? Look at me, please. I don’t want to die with my best friend angry with me.”

That snaps him back into motion. His chest heaves and he glares at Arthur.

“You’re _not_ going to die, not if I have any say in it,” he says, and he’s so sure, so determined, Arthur almost believes him. Almost. “But… it’s alright. It is frustratingly difficult to stay angry with you.”

Merlin smiles, then, and it’s small and pained and fragile.

Then, Arthur smiles back, and it becomes just a bit more genuine.

**Author's Note:**

> what up i forgot i could actually post on ao3 i've been just instantly posting everything on tumblr & ignoring ao3. i like that i don't have to deal with titles on tumblr tho ngl. anyway i hate this scene. originally posted [here](https://tyrseward.tumblr.com/post/628017091397681152/430-words-written-at-the-start-of-february-when).


End file.
